Landing Gear
by Contorce
Summary: I didn't know a thing about being an adult, and sure didn't know squat about being a mutant.  I tried my hardest, most of the time, to do what I thought might be right.  Once in a while, I was dead on.


Our apartment was disgusting. It was Freddie's, actually, but all of us should have shared in the responsibility of cleaning it up once in a while. Instead, trash littered the floor, dirty clothes reeked in the bedroom, old food and dishes lined the counters, and beer cans overflowed in the trash can.

And somehow, the only time anyone ever noticed was when we had guests.

"I'm coming!" Freddie hollered at the door, heaving himself off the couch and stuffing out his cigarette.

"Come on," I kicked LeShaun's leg. "Help me."

LeShaun groaned, but helped to shove trash under the couch.

"You can stop, it's just Isaac," Freddie told us.

I breathed a sigh of relief and plopped back down onto the couch.

Isaac didn't try to hide his disgust at our living space. "Really, guys? This violates all city health codes ever written."

"What do you want, Isaac?" Freddie offered him a beer.

"Thanks, no," Isaac declined the beer. "I'm with Professor X these days. I've come for the kids."

"The kids don't want to go," I leaned forward, ready for a fight.

"Relax," Isaac put his hands in the air. "They don't have to come with me if they don't want. Fred, just let me talk to them."

"Talk to them in front of me," Freddie agreed, then turned and shouted back to the bedrooms. "You lot, get out here!"

There was no answer. No surprise, because I couldn't ever hear myself breathe over the loud music pulsing from the closed bedroom door.

"Casey, get them," Freddie jerked his head at me.

I made a face, but didn't really argue. I beat on the bedroom for a moment before I entered.

Tommy and Carlos were guiltily waving smoke out of the window as Lena giggled.

I snorted. "Like I care. Freddie wants you guys out front. Someone's here to talk to you about that school up in New York."

Carlos' eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Just get out there," I shrugged. "Where's Emma and Maria at?"

"Party," Lena answered, already out the door.

I grabbed Tommy's cigarette from him as he headed out. He stuck his tongue out at me.

I inhaled the smoke, holding it in my lungs before blowing it out of the open window. I peered down at the dark street, seeing the hookers on the corner and the dealers in their cars. I slowly made my way towards the front room, half wanting to hear what Isaac had to say.

"You'll be with other kids like you," Isaac explained. "The majority of professors are mutants and can teach you how to control your gifts. You'll have to go to class, of course,"

"I'm out," Tommy muttered, but I knew him well enough to know when he was bluffing.

Isaac ignored him. "You'll sleep with the other students in the dormitory."

"Cool, like a sleepover!" Lena grinned.

Freddie grabbed my shoulder and dragged me into the hallway. I almost protested at the rough treatment, but his face was serious. "Look, Casey, they should go."

"What?" I gave him an incredulous look. "You never said that before."

"Things are different now," LeShaun agreed.

"I've heard talk of this Magneto guy," Freddie explained quietly. "I agree with what he's saying, and if he's legit, there's gonna be some tough times ahead."

"Tough how?"

"We're going to fight back," Freddie said resolutely. "It isn't right, the way we're treated. It's like segregation in the south, like the Japanese-Americans during World War II. If we don't do something, we'll get stomped all over."

"Isn't that someone else's problem?" I raised my eyebrows.

"No!" Freddie slammed my shoulder into the wall. I winced. He always got physical when he got excited. "It's our problem! We're living in a friggin' dump! I can't keep a job, the kids can't go to school. And you and LeShaun, you guys are train wrecks."

LeShaun and I sniggered.

"It isn't funny," Freddie earnestly shook his head. "Look, I can't make you two do anything and honestly, we could really use you in what's coming. The others need to be somewhere safe. Go find Em and Maria, bring them back here. I want them to go too."

Back in the front room, Isaac had even convinced Tommy.

"I'll go, okay, but I have conditions," Tommy said, trying to get as much out of his bargaining position as possible. "I want a Playstation, alright? An iPod too? Won't go without that stuff."

"No," Isaac shook his head, hiding a smile. "Not a chance."

"Shut up," Carlos elbowed Tommy.

"Okay," Tommy grinned. "I'll go."

"Hey, guys," Isaac stood when he saw us leaving.

"We're getting two more for you," LeShaun said, opening the door.

"Wait," Isaac blocked the door with his hand. "You can come too."

"I'm too old for school," LeShaun shrugged.

"So'm I," I nodded.

"You're not too old to learn," Isaac sent a bemused expression my way. "The school offers college level courses. And there's more to learn there than academics. You can learn control."

"We got control," LeShaun pulled open the door. "Later!"

"Casey, wait," Isaac tugged at my arm, lowering his voice. "I worry about you. I want you to come with me."

"We're not together anymore," I crossed my arms. "That's not how it works now."

"I know," Isaac sighed. "You still have my key, right?"

I stuck my hand in my pocket. "Want it back?"

"No, keep it. If you ever need a place to stay, you can still come over," Isaac saw my hesitancy. "I'm not in town much anyway."

"Okay, thanks," I released the key, letting it fall back down into my pocket. "Later."

* * *

><p>I bit my lip, almost chewing through it before I decided to open the door.<p>

I didn't expect him to be there, and I sure didn't expect him to be awake.

"Hey," I greeted Isaac quietly. "I thought you'd be out of town."

"Tell me you weren't there," Isaac's eyes were dark and I could see his hands trembling.

I took a step back. "You said I could come here if I never needed a place."

He walked towards me, fists clenched. "You were there, weren't you? With Magneto?"

"I was never with Magneto!" I bit my lip furiously. "I was with Freddie!"

"Isn't it the same thing these days?" Isaac slammed his fist down on the counter. "He's not looking out for you, Casey. He cares for you, but he's not looking out for you."

"Shut up!" I took a deep breath to calm my temper. "Just shut up. He's the only one I've got left."

Isaac searched my face. "LeShaun? Oh Case, I'm so sorry."

"Yah," I let out a shuddering breath. "Me too."

Isaac's anger dissipated. "I had a feeling you'd be there. I just worry about you, okay?"

"Mm-hmm," I opened the kitchen cabinets. "Do you have any food?"

"Take-out in the fridge," Isaac leaned against the counter.

I pulled out the take-out from Isaac's favorite Korean place on the corner. "Got any sticks?"

Isaac reached into a drawer and handed me a pair of chopsticks.

"Thanks," I sat on the counter next to him. I lifted a huge piece of chicken into my mouth and hardly chewed it before I swallowed.

"Slow down," Isaac nudged me. "You'll choke."

"So what?" I smiled.

"When's the last time you've eaten?"

"Long time," I chewed the next piece of chicken better, for Isaac's sake. "We couldn't go back to our place because of the police."

"I know. I went looking for you," He reached into the cupboard and pulled out a water bottle. "Here."

"Thanks," I took it from him, gulping it down.

"So where've you been?" Isaac asked.

"Staying around at a bunch of places," I answered. "Freddie's friends, mostly."

Isaac frowned. "I know Freddie's friends."

"They're alright," I shrugged.

"I don't like what they're mixed up in," Freddie turned to face me. "I don't like what they've mixed you up in."

"It's no big deal," I shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "That stuff doesn't really work on me anyway, not for very long."

Isaac didn't answer but I could still sense his disapproval.

"It's alright, okay?" I reassured him. "I'm responsible about it, I'll be fine."

"There's nothing responsible about drug use," Isaac shot back, but at least he was smiling.

I set the empty take-out box on the counter and tossed the chopsticks into the sink. "I can stay over, right?"

"On the couch," Isaac nodded. "I'll get you some sheets."

"On the couch?" I questioned. "Isaac..."

"Hey," He stopped me, a pained look on his face. "We're not together anymore, right? This is how it has to be. So you're on the couch."

I nodded quietly, throwing away the box and heading towards the living room.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for coming," I couldn't look at him. He'd warned me, I hadn't listened, and now he'd had to drive halfway across the northeast to get me.<p>

Isaac didn't say anything and I got into the car before he could change his mind.

"Put your seatbelt on," He ordered. "How badly are you hurt?"

"Not bad," I answered quickly.

I stared out the window as he drove through the city. I silently bid farewell, or good riddance, to the crummy streets and grey skyline that had always been my home. Isaac merged onto the highway and I closed my eyes. I'd always gotten carsick.

I'd fallen asleep, but when I woke up, Isaac was gently shaking my shoulder. "You can go into the back to sleep, if you want."

I shook my head, wincing as I moved my shoulder. "I'll stay up here."

Isaac nodded, paused, then began the lecture I knew he'd been planning ever since he got my phone call. "What were you thinking? You could have been killed. You could have been arrested. Prison would thoroughly suck for you."

"I know," I rubbed my temples wearily. "I'm not a kid anymore. I know what I did was wrong, and stupid. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Isaac had been expecting my usual defensive attitude. "Okay. Then, why'd you do it?"

"I was angry, I guess," I knew my reasoning wasn't solid, but I didn't want to lie. "I wanted to make them pay."

"I understand that," Isaac started at the road. "But there are better ways than grand theft auto, attempted burglary, and aggravated assault."

"Oh, okay, hold on!" I protested. "When you say it like that, ugh, you know..."

To my surprise, Isaac began to laugh wholeheartedly. I was surprised, but it was so out of character for him to take my misbehavior lightly that I had to join him.

Isaac must have realized that he was acting strangely and stopped laughing. "Look what you've done to me, Case."

It seemed like he was mad at me again, so I stopped laughing too. Laughing hurt anyway, with my ribs the way they were.

I was almost asleep again when Isaac began to speak.

"I need you to understand some things. Do you remember when I said I was working for Charles Xavier? Professor X?"

I nodded.

"He died. It's been pretty rough at the school, so please don't mention him. Ororo Monroe is the new headmistress. We'll have to talk with her, to make sure that you can stay. With your record, it'll be touch and go."

"I don't need to stay," I shook my head. "I was thinking I'd head to..."

Of course, I didn't have a plan and Isaac knew it. He didn't call me out on it, though. He knew he'd won every argument since I'd gotten into the car, probably for the next three days too, and he didn't need to rub it in.

Isaac gave me a questioning look. I'd been smiling at him. I shook my head, turning away to give my smiles to the dark window.

**I'm not sure if this needs to be continued. I think it works as a one-shot, but there's most definitely potential. Let me know if there's interest.**


End file.
